Straightening device

ABSTRACT

A fixture for handling small wire made of ductile materials, such as silver wire, and for moving the wire axially into a die. The fixture is made up of a fixed member and a movable member, each having wedge shaped columns having mating surfaces that interfit with each other and slide on each other. A bore is formed partly in the tips of the wedge shaped columns on the fixed member and partly in the tips of the wedge shaped columns on the movable member so that a wire directed through the bore moves through the bore with the movable member, and the wire slidably engages the surface of the part of the bore defined by the fixed member.

United States Patent [191 Cropp Nov. 18, 1975 STRAIGHTENING DEVICE [76] Inventor: David I. Cropp, 501 Chestnut St.,

Meadville, Pa. 16335 [22] Filed: Nov. 18, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 524,417

[52] US. Cl. 140/147; 226/158 [51] Int. CI. B21F 23/00 [58] Field of Search 140/139, 140, 147;

Primary Examiner-Lowell A. Larson ABSTRACT A fixture for handling small wire made of ductile materials, such as silver wire, and for moving the wire axially into a die. The fixture is made up of a fixed member and a movable member, each having wedge shaped columns having mating surfaces that interfit with each other and slide on each other. A bore is formed partly'in the tips of the wedge shaped columns on the fixed member and partly in the tips of the wedge shaped columns on the movable member so that a wire directed through the bore moves through the bore with the movable member, and the wire slidably engages the surface of the part of the bore defined by the fixed member.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 18-, 1975 L F|G.I 7H i STRAIGHTENING DEVICE OBJECTS or THE INVENTION It is an .object of the invention to provide an imsuitable screws in the holes indicated.

proved fixture for-moving fine wire made of ductile'ma- I terial.

Another object of theinvention is to provide an improved fixture.

With the above and'other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. 1

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of a fixture according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the bottom part of the fixture.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the top part of the fixture.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the fixture shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged top view partly broken away of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Now with more particular reference to the drawings, the fixture shown in FIG. 1 is indicated generally at 10, having an upper movable part 11 adapted to be fixed to a movable part of the machine indicated in dashed lines A. The lower part 12 of the fixture is attached to a part of the machine that is immovable relative to the part shown attached to the part 11 of the fixture 30 so that fixture parts 11 and 12 move relative to each other.

The upper movable member vl1 has wedge shaped columns l5, l6 and 17 that extend downward from flange 14. The lower fixed member 12 has columns l8, l9 and that are wedge shaped and extend upward,

,interfit with columns l5, l6 and 17, and the lateral edges of columns 18, 19 and 20 slide on columns 15, 16 and 17. A bore 22 is formed in flange 14. A bore 21 is found in flange 13. These bores are aligned with each other and define arcuate surfaces on the apexes of the triangles defining the wedge shaped columns 15, 16 and 17 and columns 18, 19 and 20. The arcuate surfaces 26, 27 and 28 formed on columns l8, l9 and 20 guide the wire as it moves through the fixture. Spaces 31, 32, and 33 indicate similar arcuate surfaces on columns 15, 16 and 17. Thus, the parts of the fixture 11 and 12 move relative to each other when the movable part A and the fixed part B of the machine move relative to each other. The upper part A could be the ram of a machine, and part B a turret of an assembly machine.

The upper part 11 has a flange 14 that can be attached' to the ram A of the machine by screws in the holes shown, and the lower part 12 has a flange 13 that The two bores 21 and 22 are coaxial with each other, and a part of each bore is formed on the apex of the triangle or wedge defined, by the planar side of the col- ;umns 15, 16, and 17, and 18, 19, and 20. These columns are wedge shaped, that is, they are triangular in cross section, and the side edges are wedge shaped columns; and the columns all pass through the line defining the axis of the bores 21 and 22. The columns 15, 16, and 17, have precisely ground surfaces that engage complementary surfaces of the wedge shaped columns 18, 19, and 20, and each of the columns forms part of the surface defining the bores 21 and 22.

When the base 14 is fixed to the ram of a press and the base 13 is attached to a platen of such a press, and silver wire, for example, is fed into the bore 22, as the movable member 11 moves down and the wire moves down with it, the wire is guided by the part of the bore 21 that is disposed in the ends of the wedge shaped columns of fixed member 1 1. Therefore, the wire is guided down into the head indicated at 30 and out through bore 21.

The fixture can be used with an assembly machine like that shown in US. Pat. No. 3,128,529 which issued to David I. Cropp et al, on Apr. 14, 1964. That is, a silver wire from spool 23 can be straightened by straightener 24, cut to length by a suitable cutter on the machine operated in synchrosim, inserted into small parts 25 supported on 'a turret B of the general type disclosed in the said patent. Half of the extension of bore 21 and bore 22 is formed in the tips of columns 15, 16 and 17 and half defined by the part defined by the tips of columns 18, 19, and 20.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A wire guide comprising a fixed member and a movable member,

said fixed member having a base and a plurality of I wedge shaped column members extending upwardly therefrom,

a movable member adapted to be fixed to a movable member,

said movable member having at least three wedge shaped column members thereon extending downwardly,

said wedge shaped column members on said movable member interfitting with said column members on said fixed member and slidably engaging complementary lateral surfaces on said column members on said fixed member, whereby said column members on said movable member are guided relative to said column members on said base,

and a bore extending through said fixed member and through said movable member defined by the ends of said wedge shaped members on said base and the tips of said wedge shaped members on said movable member, whereby a wire may be moved down with said movable member and be guided by said base member,

3 said tips of said wedge shaped members on said movable member and said tips of said wedge shaped member on said fixed member each defining segments of a surface defining said bore, the center of each said segment of said movable member being spaced from each other around said bore at positions more than 90 from each other. 2. The wire guide recited in claim 1 wherein said wedge shaped columns each have a surface thereon that defines a section of a cylindrical surface,

a movable member fixed to said movable part,

and a fixed member fixed to said base,

said movable member having at least three column members extending downwardly therefrom,

and said fixed member having at least three column members extending upwardly therefrom,

said column members being wedge shaped in cross section,

said column members on said fixed member having lateral surfaces in sliding engagement with lateral surfaces on said column members on said movable member,

and a bore defined by the tops of said wedge shaped members on said base and said wedge shaped members on said movable member, whereby a wire may 4 be guided through said fixed member to said base member and into a part supported on said base, said tips of said wedge shaped members on said movable member and said tips of said wedge shaped member on said fixed member each defining segments of a surface defining said bore, the center of each said segment of said movable member being spaced from each other around said bore at positions more than from each other.

3. The wire guide recited in claim 1 wherein said fixed member has a flange supporting some of said columns,

and said movable member has a flange supporting some of said columns and said bore extends through said flanges.

4. The wire guide recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said surfaces are provided on said first movable member and a plurality of said surfaces are provided on said second member,

said surfaces all cooperating to form a substantially continuous cylindrical surface.

5. In combination a fixture and a machine, having a movable part and a base,

said cylindrical surfaces being adapted to engage a wire to guide said wire. 

1. A wire guide comprising a fixed member and a movable member, said fixed member having a base and a plurality of wedge shaped column members extending upwardly therefrom, a movable member adapted to be fixed to a movable member, said movable member having at least three wedge shaped column members thereon extending downwardly, said wedge shaped column members on said movable member interfitting with said column members on said fixed member and slidably engaging complementary lateral surfaces on said column members on said fixed member, whereby said column members on said movable member are guided relative to said column members on said base, and a bore extending through said fixed member and through said movable member defined by the ends of said wedge shaped members on said base and the tips of said wedge shaped members on said movable member, whereby a wire may be moved down with said movable member and be guided by said base member, said tips of said wedge shaped members on said movable member and said tips of said wedge shaped member on said fixed member each defining segments of a surface defining said bore, the center of each said segment of said movable member being spaced from each other around said bore at positions more than 90* from each other.
 2. The wire guide recited in claim 1 wherein said wedge shaped columns each have a surface thereon that defines a section of a cylindrical surface, a movable member fixed to said movable part, and a fixed member fixed to said base, said movable member having at least three column members extending downwardly therefrom, and said fixed member having at least three column members extending upwardly therefrom, said column members being wedge shaped in cross section, said column members on said fixed member having lateral surfaces in sliding engagement with lateral surfaces on said column members on said movaBle member, and a bore defined by the tops of said wedge shaped members on said base and said wedge shaped members on said movable member, whereby a wire may be guided through said fixed member to said base member and into a part supported on said base, said tips of said wedge shaped members on said movable member and said tips of said wedge shaped member on said fixed member each defining segments of a surface defining said bore, the center of each said segment of said movable member being spaced from each other around said bore at positions more than 90* from each other.
 3. The wire guide recited in claim 1 wherein said fixed member has a flange supporting some of said columns, and said movable member has a flange supporting some of said columns and said bore extends through said flanges.
 4. The wire guide recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said surfaces are provided on said first movable member and a plurality of said surfaces are provided on said second member, said surfaces all cooperating to form a substantially continuous cylindrical surface.
 5. In combination a fixture and a machine, having a movable part and a base, said cylindrical surfaces being adapted to engage a wire to guide said wire. 